What's that blue that never brings sadness but happiness? It's Tiffany blue.
(In praise of Tiffany & Co. and everything blue about it, I used the Tiffany Blue color as the background of the sub-titles of this article.)
Tiffany & Co.
Tiffany &Co. is an American jewelry company that was founded by Charles Lewis Tiffany in New York City in 1837.
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| The Tiffany & Co. flagship store in New York City, facade showing Atlas shouldering a huge clock (Photo credit: Tiffany & Co. website) |
Tiffany & Co.'s vast collection includes diamonds, fine crystal, titanium, gold, silver and metal jewelries and accessories. Patrons include royalties, politicians, movie actors, and other notable personalities.
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| Charles Lewis Tiffany was hailed as the King of Diamonds (Photo credit: Tiffany & Co. website) |
The glamour and popularity of Tiffany made it the setting of Audrey Hepburn's 1961 classic movie, Breakfast At Tiffany's. The result was a huge success.
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| Audrey Hepburn's character, Holly Golightly, habitually peeks through the glass windows of Tiffany & Co. while having breakfast on the go of pastry and coffee (Photo credit: Google images) |
The Tiffany Blue Box
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| The exclusive Tiffany Blue Box cannot be bought no matter how much one offers for it (Photo credit: Google images) |
Every piece of Tiffany comes encased in a blue box-- the Tiffany Blue Box, crowned with a white satin ribbon.The Tiffany Blue Box is as famous as the jewelries it holds. It's exclusive. It's a box that is much coveted. Charles Lewis Tiffany mandated that it could only be acquired with a Tiffany purchase. It only goes to say that the Tiffany blue box never goes out of the Tiffany & Co. store empty. The New York Sun has reported in 1906, that "Tiffany has one thing in stock that you cannot buy of him for as much money as you may offer, he will only give it to you, and that's one of his boxes."
The Tiffany Blue
The "Tiffany Blue" color is as exclusive as the Tiffany Blue Box. Tiffany & Co. has a trademark over the Tiffany Blue color, which is produced by Pantone, Inc., a global leader on color technology, best known for its Pantone Matching System (PMS). Tiffany Blue's PMS Number is 1837, following the year Tiffany & Co. was established. The trademark means Tiffany & Co. is the only one in its industry that is allowed to use the color.
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| Tiffany Blue color (Photo credit: Google images) |
So, how different is Tiffany Blue from the rest of the blue colors? Tiffany Blue is a blue-green hue--it is the blue of a robin's egg. Some say it is also the blue of a forget-me-not flower, but the color of the forget-me-not flower sometimes varies from deep blue to purplish. The robin's egg is the more identical color with Tiffany Blue.
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| Robin, the friendly little bird that produces pretty blue eggs (Photo credit: Photobucket images) |
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| A robin's blue egg in a nest (Photo credit: Photobucket images) |
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| The tiny blooms of forget-me-not (Photo credit: Photobucket images) |
Charles Lewis Tiffany selected Tiffany Blue as the color for the cover of the Blue Book, a collection of Tiffany handcrafted jewelries, first published in 1845. It was written in the Tiffany & Co. website that CLT may have been inspired by the gemstone, turquoise, which was very popular in 19th century jewelry, in the era when Tiffany & Co. was established.
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| The turquoise stone was one of the twelve biblical stones (Photo credit: Google images) |
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| Turquoise is one of the main stones of the Miss World crown, along with blue sapphire Here: Miss Philippines, Megan Lynne Young, Miss World 2013, receives the crown from Miss World 2012, Wenxia Yu of China (Photo credit: Google news images ) |
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| My own turquoise bracelet |
Return to Tiffany
Over a century, Tiffany had produced several designs and collections.
One of the most popular Tiffany collections is the Return to Tiffany, launched in 1969. This collection was initially meant for the younger customers but eventually proved to be versatile as it also appealed to mature customers. Each piece of Return to Tiffany heart tag is engraved with the statement, "Please return to Tiffany". Back in the time, the statement purposely instructs anyone who finds it when it gets lost, to return the piece to the Tiffany flagship store in NYC. Tiffany &Co. will communicate with the buyer-owner, who could easily be traced through a specific registration number unique to each piece. Such practice is no longer adapted today. The "Please Return to Tiffany" is but a statement of history behind one of Tiffany's most popular collections, which lives on to the modern days.
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| Return to Tiffany silver beads with blue enamel heart tag (Photo credit: Tiffany & Co. website) |
In the movie, Legally Blonde, the Fashion major and aspiring lawyer, Elle Woods (played by Reese Witherspoon), was shown in various occasions wearing a pair of silver toggle heart tag Return to Tiffany necklace and bracelet. Elle's Return to Tiffany necklace has a matching piece with Bruiser, her chihuahua. One of the funny scenes was in a pool, where Elle was wearing a bikini and a Return to Tiffany heart tag necklace, during her Admissions video application to Harvard Law School. She passed!
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| Reese Witherspoon wears Return to Tiffany jewelry in Legally Blonde (photo credit: Google images) |
The Tiffany 92.5 Standard Silver Grade
Tiffany silver jewelries are much expensive compared to other brands bearing the 92.5 standard grade of sterling silver. Evidently, it's the prestigious name of Tiffany & Co. and the exclusivity of it that commands a higher price for each piece of the company's jewelry.
My Own Tiffany Blue Box of Happiness and More!
Before Christmas in 2013, I visited the Tiffany & Co. store that is located at the ground floor of Rustan's Department Store in Ayala Center, Makati City. The sales staff of the Tiffany store here is very accommodating and they will assist you in an untiringly friendly way.
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| The elegant dark wood interior of Tiffany & Co. in Rustan's Makati |
The Tiffany & Co. Rustan's Makati Showcase
The Tiffany & Co. staff allowed me to take several photos of the collections on display.
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The glass shelves that house the Tiffany collections
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Two necklace pieces on display are two of the most gorgeous, and expensive!
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| Titanium necklace with turquoise Tiffany bag pendant |
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| Interlocking Rubedo metal circles necklace, with matching bracelet |
Rubedo metal was launched by Tiffany & Co. in its 175th anniversary in 2012. Rubedo is a soft lightweight yet strong metal with rosy hue that goes well with any skin tone.
The other gorgeous jewelry collections abound the Tiffany & Co. store.
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| Pendants galore! |
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| Return to Tiffany necklace and bracelets |
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| More necklace and bracelets from the Return to Tiffany collection |
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| Atlas collection |
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| Various collections |
Tiffany & Co. has other specialty and gift items like porcelain sets, leather goods, and writing instruments.
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| The Tiffany porcelain set I bought (except the square plate which was priced separately) |
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| Tiffany commemorative plate,cup, and pens |
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| Tiffany leather pouches, bill-card holders and coin purses |
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| Tiffany ceramics, frame and pens |
My Tiffany Blue Box of Happiness
After several "sightseeings", I decided to buy a Return to Tiffany heart tag necklace and chain bracelet with heart tag pendant of silver back-to-back with Tiffany Blue enamel. I also bought an elegant Tiffany porcelain set of cup, saucer and bowl. I asked the lady staff if I could have an extra box or paper bag, and they politely told me that the box and paper bag are only given for each purchase. So that confirms CLT's mandate.
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| Our friendly Tiffany lady wraps my purchases |
The Tiffany Terms
Tiffany & Co. local stores have a tie-up with certain credit card companies for easier terms of payment.
Since I maintain a good credit standing with my credit card, I was able to avail of an 18-month installment term for my jewelry and 3-month installment term for my porcelain set purchases, all with absolutely zero-percent interest! What an easy way of paying for fabulous Tiffany jewelry and porcelain pieces.
The Tiffany Treatment
The Tiffany staff made me feel special. They led me to a guest area where I sat comfortably on a cushioned chair, while they process my payment and wrap my purchases. While waiting, a Tiffany lady assisted me in filling out a Tiffany customer profile card.
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| I was sitting comfortably in the guest area |
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| Looking at the gorgeous paintings on the wall which show Tiffany collection pieces |
Everything was taken care of by the Tiffany staff. I was just sitting peacefully since I did not need to go to the cashier. I did not feel impatient while waiting, I was looking at the paintings of Tiffany gorgeous pieces hanging on the walls of the guest area. After around 20 minutes (understandably there was a queue of other Rustan's customers in the cashier), another Tiffany lady came to me for my signature on the credit card slip. Then she handed me a crisp white Tiffany envelope containing my credit card, the customer's copy of the credit card slip and the sales receipt.
The Tradition of the Tiffany Blue Box
The tradition of the Tiffany Blue Box is the giving of it. When the Tiffany lady handed me two Tiffany blue paper bags that contain my jewelry, I was delighted for they are a real beauty. And when I opened the Tiffany blue boxes that contains Tiffany blue jewelry pouches encasing my Return to Tiffany necklace and bracelet, I was literally happy! Inspite of myself I thought, "these are a few of my favorite things!"
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| One of the Tiffany blue bags given to me |
The Tiffany lady also handed me a large Tiffany blue bag that contains the big Tiffany blue box holding the porcelain set. It was literally a big source of happiness.
The Tiffany Extra-Mile
The Tiffany lady offered to assist me for the free engraving service. She went to the 5th floor with my necklace, however the engraver had already gone off from work at that hour, 8pm. The Tiffany lady advised me to drop by anytime and just show the sales receipt to the engraver. She was more than glad to redo the white satin ribbons of the Tiffany blue boxes I opened earlier.
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| The engraving services at the 5th floor of Rustan's Makati is free for every Tiffany purchase |
I exchanged "thank you's" and smiles with all the Tiffany staff before I left the Tiffany store. And holding the Tiffany blue paper bags, definitely did not make me feel blue. I was happy with my Tiffany experience.
I Returned to Tiffany
After a few days, I dropped by and had my name engraved on my Return to Tiffany heart tag necklace. I also wanted to buy a Tiffany blue card holder-coin purse I have eyed during my initial visit. The Tiffany ladies recognized me at once and assisted me as dedicatedly as before. The item was already out of stock in their store, but they called their Shangri La branch, which fortunately still had a stock. The Tiffany ladies advised me to roam and shop while they wait for the item to arrive. After 2 hours, they called me through mobile phone and informed me that the item has arrived.
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Again, I was sitting comfortably in the guest area while the Tiffany staff process my purchases
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| I got another Tiffany blue bag and Tiffany blue box |
So, I got my desired card holder-coin purse at 3-month 0% installment term through my credit card. And I got another Tiffany paper bag and a Tiffany blue box crowned with white satin ribbon. I had the keychain holder engraved with my name.
A few days later I called them to inquire if the card holder-coin purse had a pouch. They were so nice and told me to drop by anytime and when I did, they gave me a Tiffany blue soft cloth pouch.
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| My Tiffany card holder-coin purse |
The Tiffany Thoughtfulness
My Tiffany experience did not end with my purchases, they sent me a Tiffany Christmas Card, with greetings signed by all the staff of the Tiffany store. Well, that's another dose of little happiness. Receiving traditional greeting cards by snail mail is always special.
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| The face of the Tiffany Christmas Card |
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| The Tiffany Christmas greetings signed by all the store staff |
A Day in the Life with Tiffany
I haven't used my Tiffany porcelain set which is sitting prettily undisturbed in its big Tiffany blue box and large paper bag. The Tiffany card holder-coin purse is nestling in my closet. The pretty Tiffany Blue boxes and paper bags are a joy to behold. Because I know they hold some of my favorite pretty things.
I often wear my Return to Tiffany necklace and bracelet, they are versatile and go well with and add more prettiness to all my outfits.
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| My Return to Tiffany silver necklace with heart tag |
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| My Return to Tiffany chain bracelet with silver-blue enamel back-to-back heart tag |
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| My Return to Tiffany necklace and bracelet have become a staple in my OOTD |
Moments with Tiffany give simple happiness!
Even Royals are into the Tiffany Blue Box.
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| Looks like Prince William is giving a Tiffany Blue Box to Princess Kate (Photo credit: Facebook) |
Ditto. Blue, blue, my world is blue with Tiffany happiness!
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| My silhouette gets a good contrast with the blue backdrop of Tiffany & Co. ad board (Location: Macau International Airport) |
